Vault wall construction



Filed sept.y 27, 19'46- v P. BEscHERER 2,458,242

' vAULT WALL CONSTRUCTION -FL'QfZ INVENTORf Palmereselz erer ATTORNEYS Filed sept. 27, 1946.

Jan.4, 1949. f P. BEscHERER 2,458,242

VAULT WALL CONSTRUCTION J if 1a IN1/Enroll Y Palmer escerer ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1949 VAULT WALL CONSTRUCTION Palmer Bescherer, York, Pa., assignor to Diebold, Incorporated, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,770

20 Claims.

1 The invention relates to vault wall constructlon and more particularly to a reinforcing arrangement or structure for the concrete walls of a vault which strengthens the concrete walls,

effectively resists penetration by burglar tools, and resists bombv shock waves.

Vault Walls in the past invariably have been constructed of reinforced concrete for rendering the interiorof the vault fire-proof and burglarproof. Numerous kinds or types of reinforcement have been used in concrete vault Walls in an attempt to provide a wall construction satisfactory from every standpoint.

Such reinforcement has included wire mesh, lattlced metal, metal lath-like material, spiral wire coils, twisted and interlaced rods, staggered metal discs, corrugated plates, angled reinforclng barsbar joists, H-beams, steel rails, irregularly shaped bars, and various combinations of such materials. Underwriters requirements provide that a reinforced concrete vault wall should contain at least 27 pounds of metal reinforcement per square foot of projected vault wall area.

It is known, from many standpoints, that a so-called basket weave construction and arrangement for the reinforcement is the most desirable arrangement, provided that the metal is dispersed substantially throughout the vault wall thickness and is not concentrated in any one plane or narrow zone. It also is known that a regular arrangement of the parts of the reinforcing members-as Viewed when projected to a wall surface is l undesirable.

I have discovered a new construction of rod A-frame reinforcing member which avoids the enumerated prior'art difficulties and solves the existing problem in a satisfactory manner such that an irregular wire basket weave reinforcement arrangement is dispersed throughout the major portion of the concrete vault wall with a minimum amount of metal providing a maximum amount or reinforcing strength, burglar tool penetration resistance, and resistance to bomb shock waves.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to improve and simplify the construction of reinforced concrete vault walls.

It isa further object of the present invention to provide a new concrete vault wall reinforcement construction which has maximum reinforcing, burglary resisting, and bomb shock resisting characteristics with a minimum amount of metal embedded in the concrete.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new concrete vault wall reinforcement construction having an irregularly dispersed basket weave arrangement involving substantially only the minimum required amount of metal, namely, 27 pounds of metal per square foot of projected wall surface,

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reinforced concrete vault wall construction which has a comparatively low fabrication cost in that the metal reinforcing members may be made in substantially complete and finished form by production methods at the place of fabrication.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reinforcement construction for reinforced concrete vault walls which nests and is therefore compact for bundling and shipping from the place of fabrication to the place of installation.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete vault wall reinforcement construction which is quick and easy to erect by inexperienced labor I and is self-sustaining when erected thereby eliminating collateral erection difficulties.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete vault wall reinforcement construction which does not require wiring or wire tying for erecting the reinforcement.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vault wall reinforcing member construction which nests during installation and is thereby automatically spaced from adjacent reinforcing members without the provision of spacing means.

Likewise, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new concrete vault wall reinforcement construction which is very rigid when erected and which includes members tied or locked to adjacent similar members by the simple insertion of straight lock rods at infrequent intervals.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new reinforcement construction for concrete vault walls which may be erected before the concrete wall forms are erected and around which the concrete wall forms may then be readily erected.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved concrete vault wall reinforcement construction permitting quick pouring and easy ow within the concrete forms, through and around the reinforcement, to obtain a true and eicient monolithic structure.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new concrete vault wall steel reinforcement construction which confines shock area in the steel to a small space.

Moreover, it is an object of the present inven tion to provide a new rod reinforcement for concrete vault wall construction which, with a minirmum amount of metal, provides most eliioient metal to inhibit or interrupt thel penetration of r burglar tools such as drilling or arc torch cutting.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new reinforced concrete vault wall construction which is easyV to manufacture `and erect, which is highly resistant to burglary and shockmvhiclr isfinexpensive, which overcomes. the 1 foregoing-prior artdifculties, which solveslongv standing problems in the` art, and which obtains the many new-results and advantages herein set forth;

These-and other objects and advantages apparentI to those skilled in the art from they fol lowing:descriptiony may be obtainedfthe stated resultsachieved andfthe .described Adifficulties l overcome, by the .vdevices.: constructions, Y arrangements." `combinations, sub:-combinations, partsrelementsndiscoveries 4and principles which z comprisetjthe.` presen't'=finvention,: the Anat-ure .of

whichlis set forthfin the following -f-gfgeneral:state:=l if mentre-.a preferred: :embodimentof whiche-.illusr. trative `of the best mode in which applicant: hase;

contemplated applyingV the principle-is set forth in the :following description `andefshown` in they drawings.. and which Iare particularly:anddisey^- tinctly 'pointed' outandset 'forth in the. appended claimszformingV part hereof.

The nature of the improvementsxin vault'wall 1 construction` of the present invention "mayfbe stated.A in general terms as preferably including in areinforced vault/wall, a reinforcingaastrucf ture including..A-frame-rnembers, each Af-frame .f

tudinalfrod members; said A-frame membersthus constructed nesting within one another when placed-sideby side forshipment and erection; sa.id,./\frame members when nested having the hookedpo-rtions of the crossrod members of one i A-framemember engaging certain longitudinal 1 rods of the next adjacent A-frame member; modified corner and butt frame members similar to said A-frame members'for forming a complete reinforcing panel structure; lock rods inserted at intervals engaging the V-attached longitudinal rodfof one .ad-rame member andalso engaging the,alignedfieg-attached longitudinal rods of an f other A-frame member for locking a plurality of nested A--frame memberstogether; veach A-frame member being adapted to stand end-Wise on a fiat surface, and the assembled nested and locked A-frame members forming a rigid, stable panel structure; there being one such panel structure at each of the bottom, side and roof Walls of the vault; and concrete poured in and around each such panel structure to form a reinforced concrete wallvvault.

By way of example, a preferred embodiment of the improved vault wall construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof wherein:

Figi 1 isa sectional plan view of four side walls and the. bottom wall yof a vault provided with the improvedxreinforcing construction;

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of a bottomcorner-of the vault walls of Fig. 1 illustrating the reinforcement for the bottom wall of the vault, looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig; v3 is a perspective `View of a fragmentary portion ofone of. the improvedlic-frame members;` .t

frame member-nested thereagainst;- 1

Fig: 6- is a-vieW similarto Fig.' 4` of a modified'.

A-framesmemben used as acorner frame;`

a butt frame Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview. rof a panellocking y clip;v and; I. Fig. 9 is. aperspectivezview of allockI rod.

Similar :z numerals refer .s to similar L partsl throughout the' .variousfiguresof the drawings.

The 'improved vaultpwallreinforcement con-` struction illustratedin Figs. 1 and.2 is based upon :andi-composed primarily .and principally v'of va' new rod'Afframezmember.generallylindicated at I andxbestshown :in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Each -A- v frame member I is composedcf a. plurality of longitudinal-rods' 2, 3, 4; 5 and 6.L .Thelongitudinal-rods 2, 3, d, 5 and Glare joined together ln spaced-apart'relation at spaced intervals by 'generallyA-shaped crossrod members-1; Eachcross rod member. I'has a V-shaped central portion formed by legs 8 and-9 diverging` from an yapex` I0. The legs 8 andr 9 are'bent, respectively, at II and I2, `and extend in outeturned aligned leg portions I3 and I4, respectively. The leg portions i3 and i4 are bent at right angles at the cornersI I5 and` I6 to form parallel leg portions V-I'I and` I3, respectively. The parallel legfportions II and. I8 terminate in in-turned angledhooked portions I9 and 2D, respectively.

The longitudinal rods 2, 3, 4; 5 and 6 are joined to a plurality of cross rod members 'I in any desired-'manner preferably by any desired or con- Venientttype` of welding to form the A-frame member I. illustratedzin Figs. 3' and 4. In forming theA A-frame member I, a longitudinal rod 6 is welded at spaced intervals to the apices I0 of a plurality'cf cross .rods .fI the longitudinal4 rod 2 iswelded at the corner I5 between the leg portions I3 and Il of eachcross rod T; the longitu'l dinal rod 5 isv welded to the similar corner I6 between the legportions Ill and I8 'of each cross rod l; the longitudinal rod 3 is weldedsubstantially opposite the corner il between the leg portions` 3 and I3 of each crossrod l; and the longltudinal rod 4 is similarly welded substantially opposite-the. corner I2 between leg portions 9 and IIS of each .crossrod'tl In the drawings, tack Fig; 5 is a. side elevation of the Alframe mem-1 ber illustrated in Fig. 4: witnanother similar A- f Fig; I?. is a view'similar to Figs. 4 and:6 of an other modified vform-cf frame 'member'usedf as welds areshown at the joints between longitudinal and cross rods, but any type of Welding may y be -used for forming the joints.

Thus, the axes of the longitudinal rods 2, 3, 4 and 5 all preferably lie in the same plane, since they are each welded to one side surface of the aligned'leg portions I3 and I4 of the cross rods 1. The axis of the longitudinal rod 6 is located in a plane parallel to the plane of the longitudinal rods y assembled or nested together, and, for convenience in description, certain parts of one member I are indicated by the numerals I, 5, 6, 1, 9, I8, I, I8 and 20 and the similar parts of the other member I' are indicated by the numerals I', 5', 6', 1', 9', III', I6', I8', and 20. Also for convenience the member `I' is illustrated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 4.

Thus, rod 6' of the A-frame member I' lies Awithin the space formed between V-legs 8 and 9 of cross rod members 1 of the A-frame member I; and the rods 2 and 5 of the A-frame member I' are engaged, respectively, by hooks I9 and 20 of the cross rod members 1 of the A-frame member I. This inter-engaging, nesting of the A- frame members I is repeated when a plurality of A.frame members are nested together to form a wall reinforcement panel, as illustrated in Fig, 1 at A.

In order to complete the formation of the wall panel reinforcing structure A, it is necessary to provide a corner frame member 2| illustrated in Fig. 6 and a butt frame member 22 illustrated in Fig'7. The corner frame member 2l is generally similar in shape and construction to the A-frame member I excepting that the V-leg members thereof .are shortened and additional longitudinal rods 23 and angled cross rod portions 24 are provided to form box-like corners.

The butt frame member 22 is also generally similar in construction to the A-frame member I excepting that additional smaller V-cross rod members 25 are provided, additional longitudinal lrods 26 are provided, the parallel leg portions I1 dicated at A in Fig. 1.

The frame members I, 2| and 22 may be locked together by the insertion at desired intervals of cross lock rods 28, illustrated in Fig. 9, and shown inserted in locked position in Figs. l and 2.

The purpose Aof the spacing between rod 6 and rods 2, 3, 4 and 5 of each A-frame member I may now be explained. Viewing Fig. 1, a lock rod 28 inserted transversely of the panel A engages to the left of the longitudinal rod 6 of one A-frame member I and to the right of the longitudinal rods 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the second A-frame member to the right thereby securely locking said two A- frame members together and likewise locking the intervening A-frame member I. `A very few lock rods 28 therefore securely tie and lock all of the frame members I, 2I and 22 together to form a wall reinforcement panel A. Other wall reinforcing panels B, C and D may be similarly provided and similarly assembled; and the panels A, B, C and D may be joined together by split locking rings 29 illustrated in Fig 8 and shown in assembled relation in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7, each frame member I, 2l and 22 will stand on end, on the ends of the longitudinal rods 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Furthermore, when a panel A, B, C, or D is assembled it is a stable rigid interlocked structure.

Referring to Fig. 2, a similar reinforcing panel E may be used to reinforce the base or oor slab of the vault, and a sixth similar reinforcing panel, not shown, may be used for reinforcing the roof slab of the vault.

In constructing a vault, the procedure is simple and easy. The bottom and side forms for the floor slab indicated by the lines 30 and 3| are erected, the reinforcing panel E is assembled and laid within said forms in the proper spaced relation therefrom, and the concrete floor slab is then poured. Dowels are provided which extend upward from the floor slab for tying the same to the side walls.

The inner forms for the side Walls are then erected as indicated by the solid line square 32 in Fig. l, the wall reinforcing panels A, B, C and D are erected as described, then the outer forms indicated by the solid line square 33 .are erected, after which the concrete for the side walls may be poured and the top surfacing concrete for the floor slab may be finished as indicated by the line 34 in Fig. 2. The vault roof slab may then be erected in a similar manner, it being understood that a necessary opening is provided in one of the walls for erecting the vault door for access to the vault.

The diameter of the rods from which the frame members I, 2l and 22 are formed, and the vertical spacing of the A-shaped cross rods 1 will vary according to the weight of steel per square foot of projected wall surface that is desired. It is possible, by varying said diameters and spacing, to provide a minimum of 27 pounds of steel per square foot of projected wall surface or any additional amount of steel, said 27 pounds being the minimum required by unclerwriters specifications. rThe reinforcing rods (Figs. 1 and 2) are dispersed throughout the major portion of the thickness of the vault walls and run in substantially all directions so as to prevent penetration vof burglary tools. Likewise, the reinforcing rods present the desired basket weave arrangement which has been found most eicient for concrete vault wall reinforcement, yet the basic A-frame member has a relatively simple construction which may be made at a low cost in a factory by production methods.

The frame members likewise are compact for bundling and shipping and may be quickly and easily erected by inexperienced labor without requiring wire tying. The arrangement of the reinforcing construction does not interfere with the easy erection of the concrete forms, the reinforcement panels are stable and rigid, and the basket weave and dispersed rod arrangement permit quick pouring and easy flow of the concrete.

Likewise, since each metal rod part of the reinforcing construction is of small volume and is spaced from adjacent rod parts, only a small amount of metal is located in any one region of the wall subject to shock vibration as a result of {,Theref'ore, theisbock, area is y confined f to smallnspaceszandethe vault Wall :is extremely .5'

resistant 4to bomb: fshock.

Accordingly-,fthe, improvedvault wall construction1of1A the presentinvention eliminates prior art difficulties,4 solves,l complicated problems which 1,- havefexistedin' the. art, obtains newresults, and v provides for accomplishing eac-h of the foregoing l objectsein afsi-mplejand reliable manner.

In theforegoing description, certain terms have been fused-'zfor brevity, 'clearnessf and `understandingobut no .unnecessary limitations are-'to be implied therefrom :beyond .the requirements of the .g

priorzartebecause:such Words are utilized for: de-

scriptive :purposes herein and not for :the purposey of limitation andare intended sto :be broadly construed',y

Moreover, vthe embodiment of theriimproved construction Yillustrated' and described'is: by way of examplegandithefscope of thepresent invena'ii tionis not limiteduto thepexact, details: of constructionfof the; vvarious parts.; 'x

Having vnow describedthe :features rof thein- 4 ventionfthe construction ofthe: members thereof,` thevex-'ectionffof a preferredrembodiment of im-r provedreinforced vaultI Wall, and vthe "advanta- .y

geous, new and useful results obtained thereby:

the neweand iisefulY devices,V :constructions arrangements:v combinations, -isub-combinations,

parts; elements*4 discoveries. i and principles;` and reasonablefymechanicallequivalents f obvious to thoseeskilledfi-n the.:art;.are:,setaforthfin the kappended zclaims; il

I claim nr;

1. In azvaultstructure, 4a .concrete Wall,"and la,

reinforcing 'structure embedded in saidfconcrete v Wal'lfgincludingzapluralitygof A-frame members,"

eaclrx. A-frame sxmemberrn; comprising' generally A-shfapefd'iicross rod'frnembers :andspaced apart:

each f. A-frame memberrlvcomprising, generallyV A-siiaped crosssrod":members'and spaced apart longitudinal rodmemberssaidcross rod members beinglfconnected" at spaced intervals with said longitud-inalrod members, means-on the cross rod'members `of one 'A-frame member engaging certainr1 longitudinal i rods #of `the next adjacent A-framememberJ-when'a plurality of A-irame membersare-nested.togetherto form 'said reinforcingvstructure, and lock rod `means engaging longitudinal rod members of at least .two A-frame membersuwhen "nested" together; .to lock said A-frame members and' form "areinforcing structureapanel.;

3. In aivault'structure, a concrete Wall,` and la reinforcingfstructure :embedded in said concrete Wall'iincluding'a: plurality of A-frame members, each.: A-frame' Vmember comprising generally A-shaped `crossr rodmembersand spaced apart longitudinal rod' members,l said -cross rod membersbeing connected-at spaced intervals with said longitudinalerod ymembers, and 'hooked portions on thecross rod members of one A-framefmember engaging .certa-inw longitudinal rods.- of the next adjacent.l.,A-frame. membercwhenfa; plurality of A-frame ,-members'/are-f nested together; to -form- .f

said.; reinforcing -struc-ture. z

4. In a vault structure,aa concretewall, and. a.y reinforcing structure embeddedin said concreteE wall including a plurality oi .Ai-fratrie members,

each- A-frame member comprisinggenerally-HIl A-shaped-crossrod membersand spaced apart: longitudinalY rod' members, said cross rod memi bersbeingiformed` with,v a seriesof bends,4 said.

crossfrod'members being connected at said bends at spaced interVals'fWith saidlongitudinalhrod members, and 'means' on vthe 'cross rod membersy s of one A-frame member engaging certain longif tudinal rods of the'next adjacent A-framemember V-Wlien'a plurality of -A-frame members arenested together to form said reinforcing structure.

5. In arvault structure, aconcretewall, and 'aI reinforcing structure embedded in said concrete Wallincluding a plurality of A-frame members, each A-irame member comprising generally A- shaped cross rod. members and spacedlapart-longitudin'al =rod members;v eachy cross rod .member being formed Wi'thalignedleg porticnsgsaid cross rod `members being connected. at spaced intervals fwitnsaid longitudinall rod members, the conlnections between said longitudinal rod members*H and each cross-rod member being `at spaced apartE intervals along said 'aligned-leg portions wherebyk the` axesof said longitudinal rod'members lie in the. same plane, and meansl on'thecross rod memberszof one A-frame member engaging certainilongitudinal rods of .then-next adjacentA- L frame memberwhen v`a plurality of A-frar'ne;` membersn-areinested together to form-said/reinsforcing'structure;-

6. In `avault structure, a concrete wall;v and `ai y reinforcing structure embedded in said concrete Wall 'including a'plurality 'of A-frame' members, each A-frame rmember comprising lgenerally A-y shaped crossy rod members and` spaced' apartflona gitudinal rodv membersgeach crossyrod' member being formed with an apex and with aligned .leg por-tions spaced from'saidapex'said cross'rod members being connected at spaced intervals with:f said llongitudinal :rod members; one longitudinale l 1 rod being connected' to each cross `rod members: at the apex of the latterandthe connections ibe-v` tween-other longitudinal rod members and .each

cross rod'member being at spaced-apart intervals alongvsaid'aligned leg portions, and means'on the` cross' rod4 members of one A-frame member "en-2 f gaging certain longitudinal rod'sof the' next ad-ry ijacent A-frame member when a plurality of A'- frame members are :nested together 'to form said reinforcing structure."

7. In a `vault structurepa concrete .'Wall, anda reinforcing structure embedded in saidfv concrete Wall including al pluralityrof A-frame members, each `A-frame lmember comprising generally A- 'l shapedcross rod members 'and spaced apart lony gitudinal rod members, said cross Vrod .members being connectedA at spacedintervals with said 'lon'- gitudinal rodv members, 'means' on the' cross frodi" f members of one A-frame'member engaging cer. tain longitudinal rodsof the next adjacent A- frame'member Wlienra plurality of A-framemem-y bers are nested together to form said' reinforcing 1 structure, and Welded joint connectionstbetween the cross rod membensfand` longitudinal: rod mem-` bersof each A-irame member.v t

8. In avault struc-ture, a concrete'wall, anda reinforcngstructure embedded 'in said concrete wall 'including a; plurality of A-frame members; `V each -A-frame ymembercomprising a plurality of LY generallyA-shaped crossrodmembers and aplui-x rallty of longitudinal rod members, each cross rodY member being formed with an apex from which `central V-shaped leg portions extend terminating :at bends with out-turned aligned leg portions which terminate at bends with parallel leg portions which terminate in hook means, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with :said longitudinal rod members, the connections between ycertain longitudinal rod members' and each cross rod member being at spaced apart intervals along said aligned leg portions, and the hook means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods 'of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of `A-frame members v are nested together to form said reinforcing structure.

9.1In a vault structure, a concrete wall, and a reinforcing structure embedded in said concrete wall including a plurality of A-frame members,

each A-frame member comprising a plurality of generally A-shaped cross rod members and a plurality of longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with an apex from which central V-shaped leg portions extend terminating` at bends with out-turned -aligned leg portions which terminate at -bends with parallel leg portions which terminate in hook means, a plurality of said cross rod members being connected at their api-ces to one longitudinal rod member, a plurality of longitudinal rods being connected with each cross rod member at spaced intervals along said aligned leg portions, and the hook means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together to form said reinforcing structure.

u 10. In a vault structuraa concrete wall, and a reinforcing structure embedded` in said concrete wall including a plurality of A-frame members, each A-frame member comprising a plurality of generally'A-shaped cross rod members and a plurality of longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with an apex from which central V-shaped leg portions extend terminatf ing at bends with out-.turned aligned leg portions which terminate at bends with parallel leg portions which terminate in hook means, a plurality f said cross rod members being connected at their apices to one longitudinal rod member, a plurality of longitudinal rods being connected with each cross rod member at spaced intervals -along said -aligned leg portions, the hook means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A- frame members are nested together to form said reinforcing structure, and lock rods engaging the apex-connected longitudinal rod of one A-frame member and engaging certain aligned-leg-connected longitudinal rods of another A-frame member for locking a plurality of A-frame members together when nested to form a reinforcing panel structure. l

-11. In a vault structure, a concrete wall, and a. reinforcing structure embedded in said concrete Wall including a plurality of A-frame members, each A-frame member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with a central apex from which V-shaped central leg portions extend terminating at bends in out-turned aligned leg portions terminating at bends in parallel leg portions terminating in angularly hooked portions; said cross" rod members being connected at spaced intervals at their apices with one longitudinal rod, at the bends between central and out-turned leg portions with second and third longitudinal rods, and at the bends between out-turned and parallel leg portions with fourth and fifth longitudinal rods; and the hooked portions on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging the fourth and fifth longitudinal rods of the next adjacent. A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together to form said reinforcing structure.

12. In a vault structure, aiconcrete wall, and a reinforcing structure embedded in said concrete wall including a plurality of A-frame members, each A-frame member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with a central apex from which V-shaped central leg portions extend terminating at bends in out-turned aligned leg portions terminating at bends in parallel leg portions terminating in angularly hooked portions; said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals at their apices with one longitudinal rod, at the bends between central and out-turned leg portions with second and third longitudinal rods, and at the bends between out-turned and parallel leg portions with fourth and fifth longitudinal rods; the hooked portions on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging the fourth and fth longitudinalrods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together to form said reinforcing structure; and lock rods engaging the first longitudinal rod member of one A-frame member and the second, third, fourth and fifth longitudinal rods of the second adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together to lock said nested A-frame members and form a rigid, stable, reinforcing panel structure.

i3. In a vault structure, a concrete wall, and a reinforcing panel embedded in said concrete wall including a plurality of A-frame members, each A-frame member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with said longitudinal rod members, means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together, a butt frame member, a corner frame member, said butt and corner frame members comprising cross rod members and longitudinal rod members connected together in spaced relation, means on the cross rod members of the corner frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a corner frame member is nested therewith, means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the butt frame member when a butt frame member is nested with a plurality of A-frame members, and lock rod means locking said A-frame, butt frame, and corner frame members together to form a reinforcing panel structure.

lll. In a vault structue, concrete Walls, and a reinforcing panel structure embedded in each concrete wall, each panel structure including a plurality of A-frame members, each A-frame member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with said longitudinal rod members, means on the cross rod members of one A-frame member engaging certain longitudinal rods of the next adjacent A-frame member when a plurality of A-frame members are nested together, lock rod means engaging longitudinal rod members of at least two A-frame members when nested together to lock said A-frame members and form a reinforcing panel structure; and means'tying the panel structure in one wall to the panel structure in an adjacent connected wall.

15. An A-frame concrete wall reinforcing member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members, and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with said longitudinal rod members, and the ends of said cross rod members being formed with engaging means for engagement with the longitudinal rods of an adjacent A-frame member nested therewith.

16. An A-frame concrete wall reinforcing member comprising generally A-sliaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with said longitudinal rod members, and irl-turned hook portions at the ends of said cross rod members for engaging the longitudinal rods of an adjacent A-frame member nested therewith.

17. An A-frame concrete wall reinforcing member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, said cross rod members being formed with a series of bends, certain cross rod members being connected at said bends at spaced intervals With said longitudinal rod members, and said cross rod members terminating in hook portions for engaging the longitudinal rod members of an adjacent A-frame member nested therewith.

18. An A-fra1ne concrete wall reinforcing member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with l2 aligned leg portions, said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals with said longitudinal rod members, the connections between said longitudinal rod members and each cross rod member being at spaced apart intervals along said aligned leg portions.

19. An Ajframe concrete wall reinforcing member comprising a plurality of generally A-shaped cross rod members and a plurality of longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with an apex from which central V-shaped leg portions extend terminating at bends with out-turned aligned leg portions which terminate at bends with parallel leg portions which terminate in hook means, a plurality of said cross rod members being connected at their apices to one longitudinal rod member, and a plurality of longitudinal rod members being connected with each cross rod member at spaced intervals along said aligned leg portions.

20` An A-irame concrete Wall reinforcing member comprising generally A-shaped cross rod members and spaced apart longitudinal rod members, each cross rod member being formed with a central apex from which V-shaped central leg portions extend terminating at bends in outturned aligned leg portions terminating at bends in parallel leg portions terminating in angularly hooked portions; and said cross rod members being connected at spaced intervals at their apices with one longitudinal rod, at the bends between central and out-turned leg portions with second and third longitudinal rods and at the bends between out-turned and parallel leg portions with fourth and fifth longitudinal rods.

PALMER BESCHERER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ployer Feb. 13, 1945 Number 

